'Blood moon' total lunar eclipse: What to know

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The first eclipse of the year is slated for this weekend. 

Skywatchers in the Western Hemisphere will see a total lunar eclipse on May 15-16, depending on their time zone. 

According to NASA, the "blood moon" will be visible across the Americas, Europe and Africa – or anywhere the moon is visible above the horizon. 

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The visible part of the eclipse begins at approximately 10:30 p.m. ET on May 15, with totality starting an hour later and lasting for around 1.5 hours. 

On the West Coast, the moon rises with totality beginning or underway, so viewers should position themselves toward the Southeast. 

For the East Coast, the eclipse starts with the moon well above the horizon.

One meaning of a blood moon is based on its dim, reddish hue during the total lunar eclipse. 

During the eclipse, the Earth lines up between the moon and the sun, hiding the moon from the star's light. 

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The only light that reaches the moon's surface is from the edges of the Earth's atmosphere.

The air molecules from Earth's atmosphere scatter out most of the blue light.

The Earth's shadow falls across the full moon above Sydney, Australia, Wednesday, May 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

"Even though the moon is fully immersed in Earth's shadow at that time, red wavelengths of sunlight filter through Earth's atmosphere and fall onto the moon's surface," NASA said. 

The red glow makes the moon appear red. 

The name blood moon" is also sometimes used for a moon that appears reddish because of dust, smoke or haze in the sky. 

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In addition, it can be one of the full moons of autumn when the leaves are turning red.

The eclipse can also be viewed on NASA's YouTube channel.